Tales of a Prince and His Squire
by Sonata Rapp
Summary: A collection of semi-interconnected one shots surrounding the relationship of Jonathan and Alanna in it's early stages and showing the progression of love.
1. Mornings

Mornings

* * *

Seventeen year old Alanna of Trebond rolled over in the bed she was sharing with her lover and knight master, Prince Jonathan. He was sleeping peacefully beside her, or so she thought. When she tried to creep out of bed silently, Jon's arms tightened around her and he cracked open an eyelid.

"And where do you think you're going?" he asked jovially.

"I _was _going to get dressed, seeing as it's morning and all." Alanna retorted. "But I see that your Highness wants me to lie about all day in your arms."

"That sounds agreeable." Jonathan replied. "A _much _better way to spend one of our oh so few days off than gallivanting about outside."

Alanna giggled at that and then immediately frowned. She did not giggle. "You are going to be the laziest king ever." She stopped resisting and relaxed in his hold. "And what will the others think of us? They will say that the prince and his squire are layabouts if we stay in bed all day."

"There are worse rumors." the prince responded. "But I suppose if you really want to get up, I'm in no position to stop you." He released her turned over in the bed.

Feeling cold now that his warmth was taken away, Alanna looked over at him. "You know, if you really wanted me to stay here with you, you could just order me to."

"Because you take orders so well." Jon fired back. "What would be the point? No, I'll stay here alone while you go off and have fun. Enjoy yourself, maybe flirt with Gary or Raoul a bit."

"Now you really are being silly." Alanna responded. "I don't flirt and neither of them know the truth about me. Besides, why would I go after them when I've got the heir to the kingdom in my bed. And if you ordered me to stay in it, I might obey."

"First off, Alanna dearest, this is _my _bed. And secondly, I want you to want to stay. Not because I order you to."

Alanna sighed. "I suppose if you're going to be difficult about it, I wouldn't mind staying."

"Aren't I always?" Jon replied and turned back over to kiss her and fold her back into his arms.

* * *

A/N: Hey! This is my first foray into Tamora Pierce fics. I've been a fan of hers for almost a decade now, and I've been a lurker in this fandom. It seemed like it was time to make the leap. Please let me know what you thought of this and if I should continue.


	2. Sick Days

Sick Days

It was not long before Midwinter, and Queen Lianne was ill again. Prince Jonathan was spending all of his time by her bedside or consulting with Duke Baird about what could be done. A week went by and no one had seen the prince outside of his mother's chambers.

Alanna was doing all that she could not to worry. It wouldn't do for her to give in to her emotions and rush to the queen's room to comfort her lover. That would look bad for the both of them. Myles could see the tension in his young friend's body as they played chess late one night when the Queen was doing particularly bad.

"Alan?" he queried. "Why are you taking Lianne's illness so badly?"

The squire shook her head and lowered her eyes to the chessboard. "Why shouldn't I?" she mumbled. "She's a wonderful queen. The people love her."

"_And_ she's Jonathan's mother."

"Well of course she is Myles, but what does that have to do with the price of peas in Persopolis?" Alanna fired back.

The older knight shrugged. "He's your best friend, Alan. There's nothing wrong with feeling his pain. That just makes you human."

Alanna sighed. "He's wearing himself down." she said. "I'm…"

"You're worried." Myles remarked. "No one would fault you for that."

* * *

Later that evening, the scholar made his way to the queen's rooms to have a word with the young heir.

Baird opened the door looking haggard. "Myles." he greeted. "I just got her to sleep, so I am going to have to ask you to visit tomorrow."

"I'm actually here to see the prince."

The chief healer perked up. "Goddess bless you for that." he said. "I've been trying to get him to go get some rest in his own bed all week."

"I'll do what I can, your Grace." Myles walked into the room where the queen was lying on her bed. She looked so tiny and frail against the rich blue of the sheets on the bed that the knight was taken aback.

Her son was not looking much better. Jonathan was sitting in a chair near the bed clutching his mother's hand. His usually vibrant blue eyes were dull and there were heavy dark circles under them. He looked older than he should have, and Myles decided right then and there that the prince was going to his own room to sleep that night if he had anything to do with it.

The older man rested his hand on the prince's shoulder. "How long has it been since you've left this spot, Jonathan?"

The heir looked up startled. "Oh, Myles. I left to eat dinner."

"That was yesterday." Myles shook his head. "Your mother wouldn't want this, Highness. You cannot make yourself sick as well."

Jonathan frowned. "I can't leave her, Myles. What if…"

"Those are not good thoughts to have, Jon. The healers are doing all they can. Sitting here is not going to help her get better." the scholar could see that he was quickly losing his student, so he decided to use his last ditch effort. "Alan is worried sick."

Myles could see the change in the prince at his words. He glanced at his mother and then back at the older man. "You've seen him?"

"We played chess earlier tonight. It looks like he's sleeping as much as you are."

The prince sighed. "I don't want to leave her, but Alan shouldn't be up worrying about her either."

"He's worried about _you_, Jonathan. You're the crown prince, and for all Alan is your friend, he's also one of your subjects. You've got to be there for them as well." There wasn't really anything left to say after that, so Myles clapped the younger man on the shoulder once more and departed.

* * *

Alanna had given up her nightly vigil and was in the process of blowing her candle out when there was a gentle knock on her door. It was so soft that she almost didn't hear it.

Faithful yawned and batted her ear. _Get the door, _he said. _And keep it down; just because you insist on staying up all night doesn't mean we all do. _The cat leapt down from her shoulder and made himself comfortable on the window seat.

Grumbling about prissy felines, the squire padded to her door and flung it open with a scowl. She was not expecting Jonathan to be on the other side wearing a weak smile and looking like he needed to sleep for weeks.

"I hope I didn't wake you." the prince began. "I would have gone through my room, but I haven't seen you in days and-" He was cut off by the small young woman pulling him into the room, slamming the door, and pressing her lips to his.

"You lack wit." she whispered once she had pulled away. "You look terrible."

Jonathan shrugged. "I feel terrible. I'm not sick." he said quickly, seeing the girl's alarmed look. "Just tired and worried."

"Come on, then." Alanna tugged him over to her bed and pushed him down. She knelt and released his feet from the soft boots he wore. Moving slowly, she got him out of his clothes and then started on her own.

"As much as I have missed you, Alanna, I don't think I have the energy tonight." Jonathan said.

"There will be none of that." his squire assured him. "We're going to sleep. I think we both need it."

The prince caressed her head, drawing her close and pressing a kiss to her neck. "I love you." he said.

Alanna said nothing back, but both of them knew she didn't have to.


	3. Luck

Luck

Alanna ached all over.

It was that busy time of the year when all of the neighboring kingdoms sent their dignitaries to the capital of Tortall to see King Roald's lands and try his knights. As the very small squire to the prince, Alanna was shown off a lot. People who had heard of her wanted to try her on for size. People who had never heard of her or her sword had to be shown.

Though she usually delighted in knocking the large men on their butts and gloating about it in her head, she hadn't had a real break in weeks, and she was _tired._

Gary laughed as he watched her leave dinner. "You look halfway to dead," he said with a grin.

Alanna growled. "Funny, is it? I don't see you having to spar with every idiotic knight who wants to boast."

"That's because they aren't boasting about beating _me,_" Gary replied. "Face it, Alan, once you get a reputation you have to live up to it, and that takes work."

"I've done nothing but work to keep my gods-cursed reputation for a month," the squire snapped back. "Someone else can have it for all that I care."

"You say that now, but wait until you win your shield. Being well known may well save your life one day, fire hair. Don't you forget it."

"That's all well and good for then," Alanna responded. "As for now, I am heading to my bed." She bade her friend farewell and made her way back to her room, thankfully without further interruption.

She undressed and washed herself off, wincing as she hit the bruises that never seemed to go away. There was a knock on the door that connected her room to Jon's, and for the briefest of moments, Alanna considered ignoring it. She wanted to sleep, damn it, and when Jon was around, sleep was the last thing they did.

Still, it had been a while since she had seen her lover, really seen him. His mother still wasn't in the best health, so the prince spent most of his free time sitting with her. They saw each other at the many banquets that were held in honor of their guests, but they had to be Prince Jonathan and Squire Alan then. Truth be told, she had missed her prince. So she called for him to come in.

Jonathan was dressed for bed when he entered. He winced when he saw the state of Alanna's body. "Mithros," he said. "Those must hurt."

Alanna glared at him. "I can thank you for most of them."

"You've not been in my bed for weeks now, Alanna. I don't think I am the cause of this."

"No, but all the fights I have to go through because I am your squire are. However indirectly, this is still your fault."

The prince laughed. "Very well. I will accept the blame if it means accepting that I have the best squire at court. I suppose you're for bed then?"

Alanna was surprised to hear the note of longing in his voice. It was obvious that she was not the only one who had missed their time together. "I am," she answered. "Though I suppose your bed is just as good as my own."

Jon smiled. "Better I would wager." He blew out her candle and took her hand, leading her into his room.

He went around blowing out candles while Alanna got into his bed and snuggled under the covers. She watched the prince move around the room, admiring the muscles that bunched under his skin. He was really a very attractive man, Jonathan. She marveled yet again that out of all of the women he could be with, he chose to be with her.

"You've got that look in your eyes," he said suddenly.

"What look?"

"Sometimes you look at me like I'm some sort of god and you're a mortal not fit to bask in my presence," Jon explained.

Alanna blushed. "Isn't that pretty much how it is?" she asked.

"Not in the slightest." He pulled back the covers and got into the bed, pulling his squire into his arms. "Have you any idea how lucky I feel to be with you?"

"No," the girl answered truthfully. "That doesn't really make any sense."

"And why not?"

"You're the heir to the throne, Jon. You're the one the women flock to."

"They would flock to you too if you showed a little interest."

Alanna snorted. "It's better not to lead them on. It's not like I can go as far as you or Gary can with them."

"True," Jonathan admitted. "You are the one that knights come from miles around to fight though. Your name comes up just as often as mine these days."

"But why do you feel lucky to be with me? It's not like there is a lot of competition," Alanna returned.

"Because, dear Alanna, you're here accomplishing a dream against unspeakable odds. You're a _girl,_ for the Mother's sake, and you're still better than most of the men here. I feel lucky to be with you because you have made room for me in this dream."

Alanna was quiet after that. The prince had a very good point. She was somebody fairly important in this world that she was really denied entry to. People wanted to test their skills against hers. And Jonathan, the heir to the Tortallan kingdom, was her knight master and lover.

She smiled ruefully and snuggled closer to the prince. "I think Gary was trying to tell me something similar earlier. Not about you, of course, but about myself."

Jonathan closed his eyes and yawned. "We all see it. I suppose it's just as well that you don't. Keeps you from being arrogant."

"Oh shut up."

* * *

A/N: What's this? An update? I don't know if anyone is still reading this, but I told myself that I wasn't going to let the year end without at least two more updates. So here's one. I also realized that every one shot I have written for this thus far has involved Alanna and Jon being in the bed at some point. I attribute that to the fact that one of my favorite scenes between them is when they are in the bed in _In the Hand of the Goddess _and Jonathan tells her that she should tell Gary that she is a girl and that he loves her. Even so, I'll try to get them out of the bed and into the world in the next one!


End file.
